


Blaise Zabini - Christmas Matchmaker

by Hang_In_There_Baby_Crookshanks



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Christmas, Christmas Party, Fanatical Fam's Holiday Fic Exchange 2020, Harry Potter Epilogue What Epilogue | EWE, Hogwarts Eighth Year, Humor, Idiots in Love, Multi, Non-Linear Narrative, Romance, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, blaise has a pairing that i'll tag later but tags ruin surprises, non-binary blaise zabini
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-23
Updated: 2020-12-23
Packaged: 2021-03-10 18:02:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,453
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28271334
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hang_In_There_Baby_Crookshanks/pseuds/Hang_In_There_Baby_Crookshanks
Summary: Blaise Zabini is surrounded by idiots, so it's up to them to make sure they all get a kiss this Christmas.
Relationships: Luna Lovegood/Ginny Weasley, Neville Longbottom/Harry Potter
Comments: 3
Kudos: 36
Collections: Fanatical Fam's: Holiday Fic Exchange





	Blaise Zabini - Christmas Matchmaker

**Author's Note:**

  * For [seanisfinnigan](https://archiveofourown.org/users/seanisfinnigan/gifts).



> Happy Christmas Sean! I still don't really know what eggnog is but I tried my best.
> 
> Also a huge thank you to Sylvia for beta-ing and just generally being the best!

Blaise Zabini was surrounded by loved up idiots.

Not that the loved-up idiots noticed it until rather recently but naturally Blaise had been the one to help them through their loved up idiocy. 

Their eighth year at Hogwarts was nothing like the previous seven had been and Blaise was rather thankful for the experience. They’d been shoved in classes with students they’d never worked with before. Half of their original classmates hadn’t come back at all and Blaise was thrilled to have made actual friends for the first time at Hogwarts. 

It was approaching the end of the first term and everyone from the Hufflepuff first years to Hagrid were over the moon about Christmas. Blaise didn’t really understand the appeal, every Christmas they’d gone home to their Mother and her beau for Christmas. It had never been a happy experience but over the years Blaise had managed to find some joy in Christmas at Hogwarts. 

This year, however, was a whole new level of chaos. 

For some reason, despite the fact that the world hadn’t ended last May, most of their classmates had decided that since it almost had, they were going to act bizarrely. 

“Zabini,” a voice said from behind them. 

They looked over the back of the squishy lounge. The room was covered in rubbish and half trashed decorations from the party. Potter and co had a lot of packing up to do in the morning. 

“You alright there?” The voice said again. 

“You won’t believe the week I’ve had,” Their voice was croaky and they cleared their throat. “I’m rather relieved the party is over. I mean it’s kind of my fault the party even happened in the first place so I can’t really complain.”

Blaise reached out and maneuvered the person that had made this the best year of their life onto the couch. 

“I’ve got all evening,” a glance at a watch. “Well, I suppose it’s morning now. Catch me up? I haven’t seen you all week.” 

  
  


*********

**Seven Days Earlier**

“Good morning!” 

A bell-like voice rang out behind Neville as he tried to raise his head from where it was pressed against the wood. His face would surely be imprinted with the names of students that had carved into it over the years. Neville thought that the staff could have easily removed the graffiti and punished those who defaced the table but it seemed to be somewhat of a Hogwarts tradition to carve your name into the wood. 

Neville thought he would never get to do it, but after Headmistress McGonagall had invited him and the rest of his classmates back to finish their seventh year without the threat of the Death Eaters, Neville was determined to experience his last year to the fullest. 

He’d been too bloody anxious to achieve much in his first few years and when he’d been forced into the horrors of last year he hadn’t exactly had much time to take part in the usual frivolity that the final year brought. He was getting close to a third of the way through his final year, one term down, and he still had a lot left on his list. 

“Neville?” Blaise’s voice sounded right above him now. “Had a late night?” 

Neville reluctantly raised his head from the table and found Blaise’s face centimetres from his own. Neville rolled his shoulders and reached for some toast, slathering it with honey and rubbing sleep from his eyes. 

Blaise Zabini clapped a hand on Neville’s shoulder and sat down next to him. At the Gryffindor table. Blaise truly gave zero fucks. 

Neville considered Blaise a friend after his seventh year. The previous six years Blaise had simply been one of the sneering Slytherins behind Malfoy who would make fun of Neville at any chance they got. Keeping a low profile and not drawing any attention to themselves. Despite the school being so small, Blaise hardly had any kind of reputation amongst the students. Neville would find out later that this is how they wanted it. 

When seventh year began Blaise approached Neville in secret. They cornered him in an alcove near Gryffindor tower. Neville thought Blaise had been about to hex him, but instead Blaise begged for an alliance. They hadn’t wanted to come back to Hogwarts but their mother was involved with a death eater and they hadn’t been able to get away. They wanted to fight back but they were scared. So they offered information. 

The pair of them couldn’t prevent everything, but Blaise was good at keeping a low profile. They observed and processed and found patterns in people’s behaviour. They knew when the Carrow’s were likely to be in the halls so Neville could keep them clear, they knew when they were about to torture first years so the older students could protect them. Blaise didn’t think they were brave, but Neville saw the strength and the value in what Blaise had done. Much more hurt would have occurred if it hadn’t been for Blaise. 

Neville and Blaise had become rather close and without the threat of war oppressing them, their friendship had flourished. 

“So, what’s happening?” 

“Nothing.” 

Blaise raised an eyebrow at him. 

“Literally nothing Blaise. Nothing but NEWTS and NEWTS and falling asleep at breakfast apparently.” 

“Neville, my friend, it’s almost Christmas!” Neville still looked bewildered at them. “And we’re in our last year of school! And as far as I know, you are yet to snog a single person!” 

“That’s not true!” Neville cried out, his voice raising slightly too loudly and attracting the attention of the cluster of Gryffindors around them. They gave him pointed looks before turning back to their own conversations. 

“Look,” Neville turned to Blaise and spoke quietly. “Just because I haven’t snogged anyone doesn’t mean my year has been a failure ok? It’s been very stressful after the war and I haven’t met the right person? There’s no shame in only wanting to snog someone you actually like and I-”

“Nev, mate, I don’t think any of that!” Blaise appeared flustered. “It’s just that you said you wanted to try it. So I want to help!” Blaise finished with a beaming smile. 

“Er, Blaise, I don’t think you can help me with the snogging.” 

“Not what I meant Longbottom!” Blaise whacked his arm. “You need to go on a date, chat with someone, see what you find attractive in a person.” 

“Blaise I know what I find attractive in a person,” Neville told them this while steering his thoughts away from what exactly those things were. Not the time, not the time, not the time. 

“So who are we asking?” 

“Blaise!” It was Neville’s turn to whack Blaise. “We aren’t asking anyone anything! I probably won’t even have time to socialise after Christmas with exams and everything!” 

Blaise’s forehead creased and they turned away from Neville to pick an apple off the table. They slowly stood up from the stone bench and looked down at Neville. 

“After Christmas did you say?” 

Neville nodded. 

“Well, you better find a way to do something before it then!” 

And with that Blaise Zabini had sauntered away. 

****

After the literal and figurative wake-up call from Blaise Zabini, Neville found himself running late for Herbology, he sprinted down the hallway and tried to catch his breath as he slipped into the Greenhouse. 

“Hi Neville!” A familiar voice said next to him, a shiver ran down Neville’s spine. “Where were you? You missed Professor Sprout gushing about your essay!” 

Neville turned slowly to meet the green eyes and messy black hair that could only belong to one person. Neville’s heart skipped a beat and Harry’s smile turned to a grimace as he realised he was supposed to answer. 

“I - Well, you see, I got distracted at breakfast, I was rather tired.” Neville finished lamely, twisting his hands in his lap. “End of term you know.” He shrugged and shoved his hands in his pockets to subtly wipe off the sweat. 

Harry’s look became concerned. “Are you sleeping ok Neville? You know there is no shame in going to Madam Pomfrey.” 

Great, now Harry was going to be concerned about him, and knowing the kind of person Harry had been the last few months Neville was in for it. Harry had been distracting himself with helping with any project or cause or person who needed help. Neville had seen Hermione and Ron lecture him about burning himself out but Harry and simply waved them off and said he enjoyed what he was doing. Neville knew the feeling, keep busy, lots of distractions, it doesn’t leave you with much time to think. 

However, Neville knew it wasn’t sustainable, Harry would eventually burn himself out, just like Neville would. Just like all of his classmates would. Hermione with her incessant studying, Ginny with her quidditch obsession, Seamus and Dean with each other and Luna was spending a lot of time in the Forbidden Forest doing Merlin knows what. 

It was the week before Christmas and they hadn’t partaken in any of the traditional seventh-year rituals. They hadn’t let their hair down. Neville decided that needed to change. 

“I’m fine Harry, but listen I need your help with something.” 

****

“So Longbottom had the idea for the Christmas party because you told him he needed a shag?” 

Blaise rolled their eyes. “He hadn’t exactly put it all together at that point.” 

*******

**Five Days Earlier**

Asking for Harry Potter’s help in planning a Christmas party had been a spur of the moment decision that admittedly Neville had not put an awful lot of thought into. 

And to be honest, he was beginning to become overwhelmed.

Harry had taken to the idea with such enthusiasm that he’d basically yelled it in Ginny’s face at lunch, which naturally the entire hall had heard. Straight after classes, Harry had headed straight to McGonagall’s office where she begrudgingly offered permission to use a large empty classroom on the second floor, with the conditions that no one under seventeen was to attend and that if it got too rowdy she would hit them with a silencing charm and make them camp outside until New Years. Neville thought she was joking with the last part, but you could never really be sure with McGonagall. She still filled him with as much trepidation as she had in his first year. 

Harry had responded to this by inviting all the staff along to the party. Neville was fairly sure he heard Madam Hooch and Professor Sprout planning their ‘Christmas couples outfit’ in the hallway. 

Once they’d been granted permission, Harry had gone into full party planning mode. He’d managed to secure twinkling lights and one of Hagrid’s giant Christmas trees for decorations, he’d sent an owl to Mrs. Weasley who was furiously knitting stockings and charming ornaments with the names of all the students. Harry had even organised a present exchange so each student would receive an anonymous present.

This afternoon, Harry had decided that they needed to test the menu for the evening. Although he was leaving the main course to the house-elves. He said that nothing beat homemade Christmas desserts. Neville, Ginny, Luna, Hermione, Ron and Harry all found themselves in the kitchen after the classes finished up for the term attempting to bake the perfect Christmas treats. 

Harry was ordering them around like the Quidditch captain he was “Neville! Can you grab the flour from over there? And Hermione, we need more eggs!” 

After four dizzying hours of baking under a rampant Harry Potter, four of them collapsed at a wooden table as they waited for the biscuits to finish baking. Harry hovered over the biscuits in the oven and Neville decided to wait with him. 

“You lot can try something that's ready if you’d like?” Neville suggested to the group at the table, as Harry continued to peer into the oven, mesmerised by the biscuits slowly going golden. 

Ron stood up and approached the food and drink covering the benches they’d been working on. There were puddings, cakes, biscuits, stacks of fruits and warm goblets full of sweet-smelling drinks. Ron sniffed at one of the goblets and brought it to his lips before, rather dramatically, spitting it all over the floor. 

“What the fuck was that?” Ron spluttered all over the floor of the kitchens. “You know what, I don’t want to know, we cannot serve that.” 

Harry was pulled out of this baking trance at Ron's words and came over to take a sip of his drink. 

“It’s just eggnog Ron,” Harry told him chiddingly, but Neville could tell he was trying not to pull a face. “Some people will enjoy it I’m sure.”

“Harry I didn’t want to say anything but I don’t think we can serve it, raw eggs you know? Not even magic can stop salmonella,” Hermione told him.

Harry just stared at her. “Fine.” He moved back to the oven and just stared at the biscuits while the others tried their creations, clearly trying to find a way to keep eggnog on the menu. 

As the afternoon continued Neville found himself rather enraptured with Harry. He whirled around the kitchen, possessed, but full of enthusiasm. While the group grumbled along with more stirring and tasting and planning Neville secretly had one of the best afternoons he had all year. 

  
  
  


The following morning Neville found himself dozing and clutching a cup of tea to his chest to keep awake. 

“You right there Longbottom?” 

Neville groaned at Blaise’s cheerful tone. How were they such a morning person? It was bloody infuriating. 

“So Neville,” Blaise began in that snark of theirs. “Who are you taking to Potter’s Christmas party?” 

Neville almost choked on his toast. “Excuse me?” 

“You were invited weren’t you?” Blaise raised an eyebrow at him. 

“Of course I was invited!” Neville shot back. “But no one said anything about dates!” 

Blaise stared for a moment and then burst out laughing. They continued to laugh for several minutes, ducking their head under the table to try and compose themselves. They re-emerged wiping tears from their eyes. 

“Neville, it’s a party, we’re a bunch of amorous young adults. Besides, we agreed you needed to snog someone before Christmas. Here Potter has presented you with the perfect opportunity!” Blaise waved their arms around enthusiastically and followed it up with some lewd gestures. 

“Blaise!” Neville pushed their hands down. “I don’t even have anyone I want to snog, I’m the one who came up with the party and Harry has thrown himself into it so fervently that I sort of let him run the thing.” 

“You let Potter take over the Christmas party even though it was your idea?” 

“Well, he was just so excited!” Neville felt his voice enter the upper register and his cheeks flushed. “He’s not too bad at it and I’m having such a good time with it all, yesterday we tested all the food for the party and-” 

“Longbottom I’m going to stop you right there.” Blaise cut him off quickly and looked him straight in the eyes. “Are you keen on Potter?” 

Neville almost jumped out of his seat in surprise. Was he interested in Harry? 

No, surely not, they were just close mates. Neville simply loved spending time with him. They’d bonded over the trauma of last year and they simply wanted to have some fun. 

That was all. 

But Neville couldn’t deny the confusing feelings swirling inside him whenever he saw Harry or thought about Harry, or pictured Harry getting changed in the dorm-

“We can’t take dates!” Neville squeaked out. “Harry invited the staff, I can’t be shagging him in the corner while McGonagall watches.” Neville clapped his hands over his mouth at the revelation. Bloody hell, he did want to shag Harry Potter. 

“I have to go!” Neville grabbed his bag, abandoned his tea and Blaise, and raced off to class. 

*******

“Longbottom worked out he wanted to snog Potter that quickly? I’m surprised a Gryffindor is that in touch with his emotions.” 

Blaise snorted. “Oh hush you, just because you aren’t a hopeless romantic like me.” Blaise yawned into their palm. “I haven’t even gotten to the good part yet.” 

“Well hurry up then, I am rather knackered.” 

****

Ginny Weasley was rather looking forward to Christmas. She’d spent the last few days chasing Harry around and trying to get organised for his rather extravagant Christmas party. At first, it had seemed an innocent get-together between the final year Gryffindors but it quickly became apparent that anyone of age and even the teachers had been invited. 

Soon everyone was stressing over finding a date and Parvati was asking her whether she’d ordered her dress robes. Neville quickly informed her that it was more of a casual affair but Ginny wouldn’t be surprised if she still turned up in them. 

As she trudged back from the grounds, cold and drenched, she panicked over finding a date for the party. She knew she didn’t have to find a date, she didn’t want just anyone to fill the void that her break up with Harry had created. She wanted a person who really meant something to her, someone who would understand her, someone who had flowing blonde hair and spoke beautiful gibberish and stayed outside in a fucking thunderstorm to feed Thestrals. 

Lost in her thoughts Ginny wasn’t concentrating and ran smack into someone. 

“Oft!” Ginny cried and flailed backwards onto the floor. She was soaked through and shivering as she stumbled to get up. Blaise pulled out their wand and waved it over her. 

Ginny and Blaise had become begrudging allies during her sixth year. She didn’t trust Blaise, but she did trust Neville, and Blaise’s information had prevented a significant amount of injuries. Now the war was over, they’d moved into a comfortable acquaintance, mostly bonding over Blaise’s passion for the Holyhead Harpies. 

“Have you ever heard of a drying charm, Weasley?” They teased and offered her a hand. She took it and began rubbing her hands together to stay warm. “What were you even doing outside in this weather?” 

“Luna,” She chattered. “She wanted to feed the Thestrals. I told her it was too cold but I didn’t want her to go alone.” 

“And that was the only reason you followed her, was it? I don’t recall her ever having company when she fed the Thestrals before.”

Ginny looked guiltily at her shoes before stilling for a moment and looking furiously up at Blaise. “You have no idea what you are talking about Zabini.” She turned on her heel and marched away. 

“Ginny!” Blaise ran after her and caught up to her quickly. “What’s going on here? I swear this Christmas party has made everyone stupid.” Ginny’s cheeks began to flush at the comment. 

“Ah,” Blaise said carefully. “You want to take Lovegood?” 

Ginny nodded at the stone floor and scuffed her shoes as she walked. 

“Why are you nervous? Where’s Ginny Weasley who takes what she wants?” 

Ginny paused and turned to Blaise. 

“This is just…. different.” Ginny told them lamely. 

Blaise hadn’t seen Ginny like this before, she was usually so confident. They didn’t really know what to say. 

“Look,” Blaise began. “I don’t really know Lovegood as you do, but I know how close you are. Why don’t you be the Ginny we all know you are and just ask her to the Christmas party?” 

“Do you think you could help me?” Blaise raised their eyebrows inquisitively. “I just want to ask her properly, you know? Something grand, something bold. I think she’d appreciate that.” 

Blaise thought privately that they didn’t want to be involved in the relationship woes of two Gryffindors, they weren’t known as a hopeless romantic for no reason. As a certain someone would remind them often, Blaise was rather charitable for a Slytherin. 

“What did you have in mind?” Blaise caved and Ginny beamed at them. 

********

“So that explains the events in the Great Hall on Thursday morning!” 

Blaise chuckled. “Yeah I don’t know if it was the best idea Ginny had ever had, the response was somewhat lacking.” 

“I don’t think Lovegood is one for romantic gestures, Weasley went full Gryffindor. Too bold.” 

Blaise shifted in their chair and looked into grey eyes. “So you're the romance expert now huh? Where’s my romantic serenade in the Great Hall?” 

A hand squatted them on the shoulder. “In your dreams Zabini.” 

******

**Three Days Earlier**

Neville strode purposefully out to the grounds to where he was meeting Harry. It was ridiculously early but Harry insisted that they needed to gather mistletoe before class started this morning. Neville didn’t have the heart to tell him that Professor Sprout had stopped growing mistletoe after the disaster at Slughorn's Christmas party where Pansy Parkinson had charmed the clothes off of Colin Creevy. Not surprisingly for Harry, he hadn’t heard about that incident. 

The wind was freezing and it was still dark outside and Neville used a Lumos to guide him into the greenhouse. 

“Harry?” 

Neville pointed his wand towards the back of the greenhouse and saw Harry standing in the dark waving his wand high in the air and floating peonies into a basket. 

Neville cleared his throat loudly and Harry flinched slightly, turned around and his striking green eyes met Neville’s. He found himself warming up quite quickly. 

“Peonies?” He raised an eyebrow at Harry. “They aren’t exactly associated with Christmas.”

Harry sagged slightly and the peony he was floating fell abruptly into the basket. “I thought they were pretty.” 

“Oh they are!” Neville said hastily. “They just aren’t really a Christmas flower, but really what is a Christmas flower? There are no rules about what constitutes a Christmas flower, there’s just traditions and-”

“It’s fine Neville, really.” Harry shoved his wand in his pocket and picked up the basket of peonies. “Do you think I’m any good at this?” 

“Of course!” Neville aimed for comforting but it didn’t come out quite right. “I mean, I know it’s your first go at doing anything like this, I think you’re having a great go at it.”

“A great go? Neville, I want this to be perfect. It’s our last Christmas at Hogwarts together and I want it to be special.” Harry rubbed at his eyes with his spare hand. “How can this be perfect for you?” 

“For me?”

Wide blue eyes met wide green ones. Harry put down the basket, picked it up again and stared at his ancient trainers. 

“I thought the party meant a lot to you, so I wanted to help.” Harry picked up a peony and started ripping it in half. “But clearly I’m not doing a good enough job, I best leave it all to you. Wouldn’t want to muck up the traditions.” And with that, Harry took himself and his peonies out into the snow. 

  
  
  
  
  


Ginny strode into the Great Hall purposefully, her hair loose around her shoulders and Zabini traipsing dutifully behind her. She had decided to forego her uniform this morning for a green top, cut off denim shorts and black converse that sparkled when the light from the large windows hit them. She was ready to ask Luna to the party and she was ready to do it in front of everyone. 

“Weasley, when I said I’d help you this wasn’t exactly what I’d had in mind,” Zabini grumbled behind her as they dragged props and equipment into the great hall. 

“It’s not my fault you didn’t think to shrink it all!” 

Blaise groaned. “I need coffee, I’m not thinking properly and neither are you!” 

“Whatever Zabini! You said you’d help me and here we are, you know the cues! When Celestina sings ‘ _ Christmas isn’t the same without your charms _ ’ at the end of the first verse, you start the filibuster fireworks and in the bridge, you conjure the doves and at the end of the song you-”

“Ginny! I know! We almost burnt down the transfiguration classroom trying it out yesterday!” Blaise huffed and stomped off. Whatever, Luna wasn’t here yet, she couldn’t do much without her. 

Ginny grabbed a piece of toast and started tearing it apart. She couldn’t see Luna anywhere, she crossed her arms over her chest and shot “fuck off” looks to anyone who dared to look in her direction. She saw Harry staring morosely into his own breakfast looking as hopeless as she felt. Lavender and Parvati were to the left of him practically shagging at breakfast. Their love was disgusting. How dare they look happy this early in the morning? Or at all? They should just bugger off to an abandoned classroom and snog in private like everyone else in this bloody school. 

After an hour of waiting, Luna had still not appeared in the Great Hall and Ginny was feeling rather depressed. 

“Weasley?” Zabini’s smooth hand touched her shoulder. “We should go to class. The bell’s about to ring.” 

Ginny didn’t spare them a look as she raced out of the Great Hall. She should’ve cornered Luna and made her promise to come to breakfast. She’d put herself out on a limb for nothing. She’d gone to so much effort and she hadn’t been able to see it through. She didn’t need a date to the stupid Christmas party anyway. She wiped her hand on her arm and dashed into the nearest bathroom to change, completely forgetting about Zabini sitting in the Great Hall with dozens of fireworks and a hundred butterbeer corks spelling out  _ will you be my date? _ across the Ravenclaw table. 

****

“So two heartbroken idiot Gryffindors somehow turned it around in 72 hours?” 

It was Blaise’s turn to whack him this time. “Actually they both wallowed for the next two days until I, Hogwarts resident romance expert, managed to bring all the lovebirds together.” 

“Modest much?” Grey eyes rolled at them. “Can you get on with the story? I want to get to bed sometime before daybreak.” 

“We’re in Scotland in the middle of winter, we actually have quite a long time until daybreak.” 

“For fucks sake!” 

**** 

**This Morning**

Neville once again found himself awake too early. The party was that evening and at this point he may as well skip the train tomorrow and apparate home early. Harry hadn’t spoken to him since their awkward encounter in the greenhouse and Neville hadn’t tried to approach him either. He wasn’t even sure who was organising the Christmas party after their conversation. 

He felt someone sit down beside him. 

“You look like shit,” Blaise told him bluntly. 

“Tis the season,” Neville shot back. “I fucked things up with Harry.”

Blaise started to stack their plate with food and waited for Neville to continue. 

“I think I offended him,” Neville started. “I told him that peonies weren’t a Christmas flower and then he thought I meant that he wasn’t doing a good job at organising the Christmas party, so I said to backtrack but I don’t think I did it very well because he said he wanted it to be perfect for me and then he ran off.” 

Blaise stared at him open-mouthed, half-eaten food on display. 

“And you didn’t run after him?” 

Neville started on his own breakfast and didn’t answer. 

“Am I the only one with any emotional intelligence around here? Longbottom, you were supposed to run after him and kiss him! Merlin, I’m sorting this out now, can’t have you moping around before the party tonight.” Blaise scanned the Gryffindor table and found Harry sitting a few seats over. “Potter! Get your arse over here! Longbottom wants to sn-” Neville cupped his hand over Blaise’s mouth. 

Harry picked up his porridge and walked over to the pair, looking somewhat concerned.

“Right, listen here,” Blaise stated bluntly. “Clearly you both want to tear each other's clothes off and talk about your feelings or whatever so can the both of you just push past the awkwardness for five minutes and sort that out so you can get to the fun part?” 

And with that Blaise Zabini stomped off to the other end of the table and plonked themself down next to Ginny. 

  
  


“Er,” Neville started after a moment. “He’s not exactly wrong you know, for me, anyway.” Neville couldn’t lift up his head to meet Harry’s eyes. “Will you come to the party with me tonight?” 

Neville peaked up from under his fringe and Harry was beaming, he reached a hand across the table and Neville found Harry’s hand was just as sweaty as his own. 

“It’s the best Christmas gift I could’ve asked for.” 

*******

“So that explains Potter and Longbottom snogging in the corner all evening. I think Granger was pissed off that they didn’t do anything to help, they couldn’t keep their hands off each other.” 

Blaise put an arm around his strong shoulders. “I can’t keep my hands off you either.”

Blaise was expecting a shove and a snarky comment but he settled into the half embrace, slowly relaxing into the couch together. 

“I can put more hands on you if you finish the story.” 

Blaise cleared their throat and continued. 

*****

“Weasley!” Blaise cried, throwing themself down next to Ginny. “Where is Lovegood?”

Ginny narrowed her eyes at them. “I don’t have a tracking charm on her Zabini.” 

“Well go and find her!” Zabini shoved Ginny with their shoulder and she fell backwards off the bench. “Sorry! I didn’t mean to push that hard!” 

Ginny waved them off and stood up. 

“Are you going or not? Go snog Lovegood in a field of crups and run your fingers through her hair!” Blaise shooed her away and Ginny obediently followed their instructions without really knowing what was happening. 

  
  


She headed outside the castle into the freezing cold wind. Shivering, she knew Luna would be close to the forest somewhere, feeding some kind of creature that others ignored. As Ginny approached the forest she saw a flash of a platinum blonde braid. 

“Luna!’ Ginny called, racing after her. Once again she came face to face with twenty or so Thestrals, Luna turned from them and beamed at her. 

“Ginny! You came to feed them.” She picked up a few pieces of raw meat and handed them to Ginny. They fed them in silence for a few minutes before Luna ran out of meat and all but one of the Thestrals dispersed. One of the smallest in the group remained beside Luna, licking at her hand happily. 

“Luna, I need to talk to you about something.” Ginny had no idea what Luna’s reaction would be to what she was about to ask. 

“I'll come with you,” Luna told her. Ginny raised her eyebrows. “I’m sorry I wasn’t at breakfast the other morning, I heard about what happened.”

“Who told you?” Ginny asked curiously. 

“The Wrackspurts.” Luna told her. “But you could’ve just asked me.” 

Ginny shook her head, of course Luna knew. Luna was unlike anyone she’d ever met, unlike anyone she’d ever meet and that’s what made her so special. Luna wasn’t Ginny’s first try at romance, but the prospect had never seemed so scary before. 

“I like you too Ginny,” Luna told her seriously. She moved away from the licking Thestrals, it whined in annoyance as Luna put a saliva covered hand on her face. “I don’t need anything more than this. You’re perfect just like this.” 

And as Luna brought their lips together, Ginny found she couldn’t agree more. 

*****

“So that’s why Weasley had her hands all over Lovegood! You really are quite the cupid Zabini,” Blaise surprisingly found themself blushing. 

“After everything,” their voice was slightly croaky. “I just, everyone deserves to be happy at Christmas. Especially for our last year.” 

They cleared their throat and felt strong arms wrap around them and pull them even closer together. They remained still for a while, breathing and the crackle of the fire filled the room as they snuggled together. 

“We should probably head to bed.” He told Blaise, stretching his arms above his head. Blaise looked around the room at the rubbish littering the floor, McGonagall had told Harry and Neville that they had to clean it up themselves but Blaise had a feeling the house-elves would be onto it before they emerged the next day. 

Blaise stood up and stuck out a hand. “Come on Draco, let's go to bed.” 

The two of them headed off to the Slytherin dormitory hand in hand, Draco pecked them on the lips as they got changed for bed and Blaise lay in his arms as they drifted off to sleep. 

In that moment where they were losing consciousness, Blaise wondered whether anyone could be more in love. 

  
  



End file.
